'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Shoot a 'Religious Experience' for Winona Ryder
The wait for the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton's iconic 1988 film, "Beetlejuice," is almost over. "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" is set to hit cinemas on 6 September, and the cast and crew seem as excited as fans are.
Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia Deetz, recently revealed to Vanity Fair that filming the sequel was a truly transformative experience, describing it as "almost holy, like some sort of blessing from above." She attributes this feeling to a shared belief with her co-stars and director Tim Burton that "film can be a kind of a religious experience."
The bond between Ryder and newcomer Jenna Ortega, who takes on the role of Lydia's daughter, was particularly strong. Ryder calls their connection "sacred," and Ortega agrees, describing the set as a place she wanted to "remember for the rest of my life."
Ortega is particularly enthusiastic about the film's unique atmosphere, citing scenes like the one filmed in a church where Willem Dafoe, in a trench coat, "slid down in a back pew, just watching everyone." She even confessed that seeing Michael Keaton in full Beetlejuice makeup for the first time made her "feel my soul leave my body for a second."
While acknowledging Ortega's unique personality, Burton believes she shares a certain quality with Ryder in her youth. "They both, as young people, had a very strong soul," he told Vanity Fair. "Theyâre like silent movie actors."
The shared passion and dedication of the cast and crew seems to have resulted in a film full of magic and emotion. Ortega sums it up perfectly, "I feel like if you locked Winona and I in a blacked-out room...we could talk for hours, no touching of the phones. Just eye contact, in a dream."
Fans will soon get to see the on-screen chemistry between Ryder and Ortega when "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" finally hits the big screen. The film promises a new generation of spooky fun for both old and new fans of the original film.
